Variable gutter broom



April 3, 1969 A. R. AYALA 3,436,782

VARIABLE GUT'I'ER BROOM Filed Nov. 22,1966 4 Sheet 01'2 i z "5 5m 2a 28 M fill) In I l l /9G mvzsmon Ale/E1. Emu/ea Hymn.

April 8, 1969 A. R. AYALA 3,436,782

VARIABLE GUT'IER BROOM Filed Nov. 22, 1966 Sheet 3 of 2 I N VE NTOR. 22/15:. RAM/2E2 Am? flrraewevs.

United States Patent 3,436,782 VARIABLE GUTTER BROOM Ariel R. Ayala, Naucalpan de Juarez, Mexico, assignor to Wayne Manufacturing Company, Pomona, Calif.,

a corporation of California Filed Nov. 22, 1966, Ser. No. 596,330 Int. Cl. E01h 1/02; A471 11/162, 11/164 US. Cl. 15-87 9 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE In order to permit sweeping simultaneously of stepped (i.e. different elevation) surfaces by a single street sweeper gutter broom assembly the invention provides a brush composite comprising an outer annular brush segment containing an inner brush segment, the two segments being axially variably positionable to sweep simultaneously single or stepped plane surfaces.

This invention has to do with improvements in street sweeper gutter brooms which in use, oriented vertically axially, are carried at the side of and are driven by sweeper vehicles so as to displace debris from gutter regions into the main sweeping path of the vehicle.

Conventionally, gutter brooms, though variable in angularity, are operable at only a single level, namely the road surface, and consequently their outermost effectiveness does not extend beyond the gutter.

Modern highways are sometimes constructed to have elevated finished surfaces beyond the gutters, as in the case of divider areas separating highway or freeway lanes. These elevated surfaces are subject to debris accumulations and desirably should be swept along with the relatively depressed gutters.

My general object is to provide a new variable gutter broom construction having its variability in the respect of being able simultaneously to sweep stepped surfaces as of the character indicated.

More specifically, the invention has for its object to provide a gutter broom composite which comprises inner and outer annular segments which rotate together to sweep on a common plane, as normally, and which are relatively vertically displaceable to simultaneously sweep stepped surfaces. This general objective also contemplates rendering the brush segments self-responsive to the stated surface conditions so that without necessity for manual adjustment, as the brush assembly is raised, one brush segment will automatically remain to sweep the lower surface while the other segment sweeps the surface above.

In the typical embodiment the broom assembly may comprise a variable dual brush assembly mounted to and depending from a vertical variable driving shaft with the outer brush segment accommodated for elevation therewith, and an inner segment urged downwardly to remain on the road surface during elevation of the outer segment but being restorable to common working plane with the outer segment upon lowering of the latter.

These features and objects, as well as additional details will be understood to better advantage from the following description of the typical embodiment shown by the accompanying drawings in which:

FIG. 1 is a view showing the broom assembly in elevation and with the inner broom locked in traveling position;

FIG. 2 is a fragmentary plan view of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a view similar to FIG. 1 with the outer broom segment shown in raised position; and

FIGS. 4 and 5 are enlarged cross sections taken respectively on lines 44 and 55 of FIG. 2.

3,436,782 Patented Apr. 8, 1969 The gutter broom assembly carried by shaft S may be described as comprising an outer annular broom segment indicated at 10, an inner relatively vertically movable broom segment 11, and suitable means as typified at 12 for releasably locking the inner broom 11 in the FIG. 1 position and for spring urging the inner broom downwardly as to the FIG. 3 position.

At the outset it is to be understood that the inven tion is not to be regarded as limited to the illustrated structural details of the outer and inner brooms and 11, it being contemplated that these may have any of various specific formations so long as they have the general relationship of an outer section or segment having its bristles annularly arranged essentially as illustrated, and a relatively vertically movable inner segment accommodated within the bristle annulus of the outer segment. Also it may be observed preliminarily that the assembly-suspending rotary drive shaft S may be mounted and driven from a sweeper in a manner conventional with sweeper brooms and which allows for controlled raising and lowering of the shaft.

For purposes of illustration, the outer segment 10 is shown to comprise a head plate 13 to the underside of which is secured as by bolts 14 suitable bristle keeper means 15 in the form of an annulus which may be continuous or arcuately segmented. The bristles 16, mounted to flare downwardly and outwardly in the fashion of sweeper brooms, are retained within recess 17 of the keeper annulus or segments as by doubling the inner ends of the bristles about retainer wires 18 in the known manner of bristle retention. The broom assembly is adapted to be suspended in vertically adjustable position and rotatably driven from a sweeper vehicle, not shown, by way of shaft S fixed centrally to the plate 13.

As shown in FIG. 4, the inner broom 11 similarly comprises downwardly and outwardly flaring bristles 20 suitably retained as by wires 21 within recess 22 of a continuous or arcuately segmental keeper 23 attached to plate 25, the bottom diameter or spread of the bristles 20 being such as to function in conjunction with the outer section bristles 16 normally to sweep a paved or like ground surface 24.

The broom segment 11 is mounted to the outer section 10 for vertical movement between the FIGS. 1 and 3 positions, by securing to disc 25 a plurality, typically three, of bolts or rods 26 extending upwardly through openings 27 and tubular guides 28 mounted at 29 to the plate 13. At their upper ends the rods 26 extend through and are secured by nuts 30 to a ring 31 extending about the shaft S. In use condition, the ring and rod assembly and segment 11 are urged downwardly by coil springs 32 terminally connected to the plate 13 as illustrated. The inner broom segment 11 is releasably lockable in its FIG. 1 elevated position as by pins 33 inserted through openings 34 in the rods and bearing against the upper ends of the guides 28.

Normally, as for sweeping essentially flat road surfaces, the broom assembly may operate in the manner of the usual gutter broom with pins 33 removed, the outer segment 10 lowered to ground contact, and the inner section 11 maintained against the resistance of springs 32 in the FIG. 1 position. As previously indicated, it may be desirable at times to sweep as at a gutter or raised island or street divider location, both street and raised surfaces 36 and 37 illustrated in FIG. 3. The invention provides for simultaneous sweeping of such surfaces using the single gutter broom assembly, by elevating the outer segment 10 to the raised surface level and allowing the springs 32 to thrust or maintain the inner broom section 11 at the FIG. 3 position. In this condition of the broom its segment 11 sweeps the lower or road surface 36 While the outer segment sweeps the elevated surface 37. After the dual surface sweeping, lowering shaft S and the outer segment restores the assembly to the FIG. 1 normal gutter sweeping condition.

For traveling between sweeping operations, the inner segment 11 may be locked by the insertion of pins 33 against projection below the outer segment.

I claim:

1. An essentially circular rotary gutter broom mounted on a shaft and adapted for raising and lowering and to be vertically axially positioned in use onto plane or stepped surfaces, said broom comprising plural corotating blush segments in telescoping relation including an annular outer brush segment and an inner brush segment within the outer segment means mounting said segment for relative floating vertical axial movement and guide means for said movement located off center with respect to said shaft whereby lowering contact of said broom with the upper of contiguous stepped surfaces displaces said outer brush segment upwardly relative to said inner brush segment for simultaneous sweeping of both of said surfaces.

2. A gutter broom according to claim 1, in which said segments have downwardly extending bristles normally operable on a road surface in the same plane.

3. A guter broom according to claim 1, including also yielding means resisting said relative axial movement of the segments.

4. A gutter broom according to claim 1, in which said inner segment is displaceable downwardly relative to the outer segment.

5. A gutter broom according to claim 4, including also means releasably interlocking said segments with their lower brush terminals essentially in a common plane.

6. A gutter broom according to claim 4, in which said segments comprise annular bristle mounting members one overlying the other, and said guide means extend vertically from one of the members through the other member in a manner permissive of said displacement of the outer brush segment relative to said inner segment.

7. A gutter broom according to claim 6, including also yielding means resisting upward movement of the lower member relative to the upper member.

8. A gutter broom according to claim 4, in which said outer segment comprises a first upper bristle mounting member and the inner segment comprises a second bristle mounting member underlying the first member, a drive shaft connected to the upper member, guides extending upwardly from the lower member through openings in the upper member, and spring means resisting upward displacement of the lower member relative to the upper member.

9. A gutter broom according to claim 8, including also means for releasably locking said inner segment in raised position within the outer segment.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,300,138 10/1942. Steele '15-49 2,930,056 3/1960 Lappin l5-49 EDWARD L. ROBERTS, Primary Examiner.

US. Cl. X.R. 1549; 1 80 

